The name Brawten reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Brawten family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Brawten family lived in Staffordshire, Lancashire, Lincoln, Northamptonshire and many other counties. The name probably derived from the name Boroughtown and is indicative of its bearer's residence one of many localities so named in Britain.

Early Origins of the Brawten family

The surname Brawten was first found in Staffordshire at Broughton. However, "the Broughtons descend in the male line from one of the most ancient families of the county of Chester, the Vernons of Shipbrook. Richard de Vernon, a younger brother of this house, was father of Adam de Napton, in the county of Warwick, whose issue assumed their local name from Broughton in Staffordshire." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print. Shirley continues "the pedigrees vary as to the exact point of connection, and, confused and contradictory as the Shipbrooke pedigree is at this period, there can be little hope of its positively identified; but the general fact of descent is allowed by all authorities." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.

Early History of the Brawten family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Brawten research.Another 401 words (29 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1506, 1549, 1612, 1602 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Brawten History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Brawten Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Broughton, Browton and others.

Early Notables of the Brawten family (pre 1700)

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir Robert Broughton (died 1506), a landowner, soldier, and Member of Parliament for Suffolk, He was knighted at the Battle of Stoke; Sir John de Broughton; Hugh Broughton (1549 -1612), English scholar and divine... Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Brawten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Brawten family to the New World and Oceana

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Brawten name or one of its variants: Thomas Broughton, of Longden in Staffordshire, who migrated about 1630; and settled in Boston, Massachusetts. Another Thomas settled in Virginia in 1635.

The Brawten Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.